It started as a joke between firefighters at the station. A few were talking about getting a station dog when someone asked, “Why don’t we actually get one?”

Instead of letting the idea fade away, the Liberty Professional Firefighters Association asked their Facebook followers what they thought. The response was overwhelming. Just one week later, they welcomed the newest member of the crew: Rescue Rufus.

For Rufus, it was the second chance he’d been waiting nearly his entire life for. Two years ago, the 3-year-old dog had been rescued from a neglect situation after arriving at Animal Charities of Ohio starving. Although everyone who met him knew he was a wonderful dog, he spent years at the shelter watching other dogs get adopted while he was passed over time and time again.

As the firefighters put it, Rufus was always the “second pick.” Until now. Animal Charities of Ohio sponsored Rufus’s adoption and is helping provide his basic supplies, veterinary care, training, and ongoing support to help him settle into his new life.

Now Rufus spends his days at Station 35, greeting visitors, hanging out with the crew, and offering comfort after the difficult calls that firefighters face. He’s either got a toy in his mouth or a smile on his face, or both.

Across the country, station dogs have become an important source of companionship, helping reduce stress, lift morale, and remind first responders they’re never alone.

Rufus isn’t just the new station dog. He’s now family. After spending years wondering why no one chose him, the dog who was always overlooked has finally become everyone’s first choice.